South Florida real estate agent Bonnie Heatzig said the end of 2020 was the height of New Yorkers seeking to move to the Sunshine State. “New York was closed, New Jersey was closed,” she said. “There were people who were saying, ‘I really want to come down to Florida. I want to accelerate my plans.'” Heatzig, who is the Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman in South Florida, said it’s not uncommon for New Yorkers to buy Florida properties sight unseen. “These are people that are moving down to South Florida to start their life, to put their children in school, to start a new business,” she said. “These people are here to stay.” Heatzig said some New Yorkers who worked remotely from Florida during the pandemic are now deciding to make Florida their home.